Costochondritis Treatment and Home Remedies
Home Remedies for Costochondritis These home remedies may provide relief from costochondritis: Over-the-counter pain relievers such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or naproxen as needed Using local heat or ice to relieve pain Avoiding unnecessary exercise or activities that make the symptoms worse; avoiding contact sports until there is improvement in symptoms, and then returning to normal activities only as tolerated Doing stretching exercises Medications for Costochondritis Your doctor may suggest the following: Prescription-strength NSAIDs. A local anesthetic and steroid injection in the area that is tender if normal activities become very painful and the pain doesn’t get better with medicine. Narcotics like hydrocodone/acetaminophen (Norco, Vicodin) or oxycodone/acetaminophen (Percocet, Roxicet, Tylox) can help with extreme pain, but, as with any narcotics, there’s danger of becoming addicted to them. Steroids. Your doctor can give you a corticosteroid shot directly into a painful joint, but that’s considered something of a last resort. Tricyclic antidepressants or cyclic antidepressants like amitriptyline can help ease pain, but they also can have side effects, like weight gain and drowsiness. Antiseizure drugs, usually gabapentin (Neurontin), are typically used to treat epilepsy, but they also may help with costochondritis. Infectious (bacterial or fungal) costochondritis should be treated with IV antibiotics. Afterward, antibiotics by mouth or by IV should be continued for another 2 to 3 weeks. You should see a doctor during recovery, and then once a year.
